This invention relates to an improved dry beverage mix containing dextrose hydrate and a method for its preparation.
Dry beverage mixes containing flavor, food acid, color, sucrose and minor amounts of various other additives are well-known articles of commerce. In the production of such articles of commerce, it would be desirable to replace part of the sucrose of the mixes with the less-expensive sugar, dextrose. This presents a problem since the dextrose of commerce is the monohydrate containing 8-9% water of crystallization. When all or part of the sucrose in beverage mixes is replaced with dextrose hydrate, the mixes tend to cake and lose their free-flowing properties. Color and flavor changes often result.
One way to overcome this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,547, issued Aug. 17, 1976. In this process, dextrose hydrate is dried to remove nearly all of the water crystallization. Beverage mixes are then prepared in which part of the sucrose is replaced with the dried dextrose. Care must be taken to handle the dextrose under controlled relative humidity packaging and it is often necessary to have packets of a drying agent mixed with the dried dextrose to prevent its adsorption of moisture during the mixing process. This method requires the expensive step of drying of the dextrose monohydrate. Furthermore, the hygroscopic dehydrated sugar must be handled under special conditions adding to the cost.